Commercial Mold Remediation in Camano Island, WA

Do winter storms and high tides really cause mold on Camano?

They can. Island County says that although it has no major rivers, flooding generally comes in winter when intense storms line up with high tides, and wind-driven waves frequently overtop shore protection. Low-lying areas and lakes flood more often, though less severely. In the late December 2022 king tide and coastal storm, flooding closed the boat launch at Camano Island State Park for several days and cut power to facilities, and Cama Beach State Park closed its cabins when water came within an inch of some front doors. Any building along Saratoga Passage, Port Susan, Davis Slough or Skagit Bay that took on water should be opened up and dried, since EPA says materials not dried within 24 to 48 hours should be assumed moldy.

How should a rental or business plan the cleanup?

Start with a written scope from a site visit: the measured area, what will be removed, how the work zone will be sealed and how the company will show the space is clean. EPA's guide for commercial buildings ramps up containment as areas pass roughly 10 and 100 square feet. Keep tenants or customers out of the work area, leave forced-air systems off if they may be contaminated, and set a schedule in writing if the building must stay partly open. Because the island is reached by road only over the Camano Gateway Bridge on State Route 532 from Stanwood, about 38 miles from Seattle, ask how the company handles travel and debris hauling.

Who issues permits and takes complaints?

Island County Planning and Community Development's Building Department issues permits for unincorporated areas, and its Camano Annex at 121 N East Camano Dr lets island owners handle repair permits without leaving the island. The county's flood damage prevention rules set construction standards in frequently flooded areas. Island County Code Enforcement takes complaints through an online request form, but its listed complaint types do not include rental housing or mold. For health questions, Island County Public Health and the state Department of Health mold page are the places to start.

A Camano note

The island spans communities from Utsalady and Elger Bay to Juniper and Madrona Beach, and many buildings are used seasonally. A building that sits closed through the wet months can grow mold from trapped humidity alone, so a walk-through each fall can head off a much bigger job later. Washington has no state mold license, so check any company on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool.